Academic Programs Catalog

College of Arts and Letters

Interdepartmental and Interdisciplinary Programs

Minor in Museum Studies

The Minor in Museum Studies, an interdisciplinary and intercollegiate program is administered by the College of Arts and Letters and is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University. The minor provides an opportunity for study focused on the development, interpretation, management, preservation, and access of collections of art, cultural history, and natural history. This minor complements a number of major fields of study: art history, anthropology, apparel, textile and design, botany, business, history, park, recreation and tourism resources, studio art, and zoology. Students who plan graduate study or who wish to pursue careers in museums, libraries, archives, other educational institutions, or corporate collections may find this minor particularly appealing. 

With the approval of the department and the college that administer the student’s degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the requirements for the minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Students who plan to complete the requirements for the minor should consult the MSU undergraduate advisor in the College of Arts and Letters. 

Requirements for the Minor in Museum Studies

1. The student must complete the following (16 credits):
a. All of the following courses (7 credits):
ACM 471 Arts and Cultural Management Seminar 3
MUSM 485 Foundations of Museum Studies 3
MUSM 496 Museum Studies Internship 1 to 3
b. At least three of the following courses (9 credits):
MUSM 487 Museums, Arts and Culture in the Digital Future 3
MUSM 488 Museum Curatorial Practices 3
MUSM 489 Museum Collections, Management and Care 3
MUSM 490 Independent Study 1 to 3
MUSM 492 Special Topics in Museum Studies 1 to 3
MUSM 494 Museum Exhibitions: Theory and Development 3
MUSM 497 Practicum in Museum Studies 1 to 3
MUSM 498 Learning and Experience in Museums 3

With approval of the undergraduate advisor for Museum Studies, a course selected from a wide range of disciplines may be counted toward the requirements for the Minor in Museum Studies.